Method and device for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit

ABSTRACT

In a method and a device for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit, the operating parameters of simulated, virtual hardware units are varied during the execution of a program flow on the virtual hardware units, for example via an interface device of a simulation device, in such a manner that requirement parameters of the execution of a program flow of at least one physical hardware unit can be identified. A method and a device are used for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit. The method and the device are used to determine requirement parameters of software products of hardware components to be used. Requirement parameters are allowed to be identified systematically, using an operating system and eliminates the need for expensive, physical hardware components and for modifications to a physical computer system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP2009/059342 filed Jul. 21, 2009, which designatesthe United States of America, and claims priority to DE Application No.10 2008 046 096.6 filed Sep. 5, 2008. The contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present method relates to a method for determining requirementparameters for at least one physical hardware unit which ensure awell-defined program flow. The invention also relates to a computersystem suitable for executing the method, and to a computer programproduct which initiates the execution of a corresponding method fordetermining requirement parameters.

BACKGROUND

When developing hardware- and also software-implemented systems, thecompatibility of components, particularly their reusability, must beensured where possible. To this end, software systems can be built in amodular design based on reusable software components, such as programmodules, libraries or packages. Computer systems can be of modulardesign comprising hardware components, the compatibility of which isprovided by standardized interfaces. For example, a plurality ofsoftware components are designed to be executable not only on individualcomputer systems but also on different computer systems withoutsignificant overhead. The reusability of software components,particularly on different computer systems, makes for an optimizedcost-benefit ratio. Reusability is a motivating factor for the writingof high-quality software code that is sufficiently tested and welldocumented. Another advantageous aspect is the possibility of buying-inhigh-quality software code from external developers.

The approach of not having to design software components for a specifictarget system has gained acceptance with the widespread use of thehigher-level programming languages. Software components are createdwhich are translated by translators or more specifically compilers fromthe high-level language into the machine language of the respectivetarget system. Prior to this, software components were implementeddirectly in the machine language for the target system in question.Since machine languages are less intuitively understandable to humanscompared to high-level languages, this procedure involved more time andeffort and was more prone to error. In particular, the software codecould not be reused in most cases. Constantly implementing new softwarecomponents likewise resulted in increased error proneness. For reasonsof cost-effectiveness and reusability, software components should not begeared precisely to a target system and its precise technical details.An abstraction is consciously assumed in order to develop a softwarecomponent more quickly, more efficiently and with fewer errors.

The compatibility of hardware components is a nonfunctional requirementwhich is desirable and necessary. On the other hand, technologicalprogress means that there is a great diversity of hardware. Thus,different controllers with specific performance data can be used, forexample. Similarly there are different storage media which differconsiderably from one another in terms of price and performance.Hardware units usually have standard interfaces which are completelyidentical functionally. Due in particular to specific design andarchitecture patterns such as layering or proxies, a software engineerdoes not usually know which precise version of a hardware unit thesoftware component will be accessing.

The above-mentioned aspects show that complete test coverage of asoftware component in respect of the hardware components used is onlypossible by investing a significant amount of time and effort. Forexample, hardware components on which the software component is to beimplemented may be compatible in terms of the hardware-based interfaces,but the performance characteristics of the hardware components cannotsatisfy the requirement parameters of the software component. In aparticularly disadvantageous case this may result in an unserviceablesoftware product in respect of the hardware components used. In thiscontext a software product comprises at least one software component.

For example, in the case of software products, requirement parametersfor the executing hardware components are specified which ensure awell-defined program flow. The program flow in this context encompassesthe execution of a software component. Requirement parameters aredetermined, for example, by testing the software product on differentphysical computer systems. However, due to the increasing diversity ofthe computer systems, these requirement parameters can no longer bedetermined empirically, or only to an inadequate extent. In particular,dependencies between the operating parameters of the hardware units usedcan only be determined with enormous empirical overhead. Ifcorresponding requirement parameters are available in full and aresufficiently precise, it is possible to make assessments concerning theoperating parameters of the required hardware components. In particular,in terms of using the corresponding hardware units, costs can be savedby replacing a higher-performance but more expensive hardware unit by acheaper hardware unit. The use of overly high-performance hardware unitsresults in increased additional operating costs, in particular higherenergy consumption or more specifically higher heat emission which hasto be compensated by more intensive use of cooling components.

Due to the large range of functionally compatible hardware units,conventional techniques for determining requirement parameters can onlytest selected operating parameter profiles. Complete testing of all theoperating parameter profiles for existing hardware components isvirtually impossible due to the great multiplicity of possiblecombinations of hardware components for implementing a suitable computersystem. Usually, precise requirements for the hardware components areonly determined in a rudimentary and unsystematic fashion. Testing istherefore frequently not performed using a sufficient range of hardwarecomponents, but only on a small number of exemplary computer systems.

The use of mathematical models such as Markov chains or weighted Petrinets, for example, for determining requirement parameters necessitatesthe costly involvement of experts, can be susceptible to error and/orimprecise, which may prove to be particularly disadvantageous.

SUMMARY

According to various embodiments, an improved method for determiningrequirement parameters for at least one physical hardware unit can beprovided.

According to an embodiment, in a method for determining requirementparameters for at least one physical hardware unit of a physicalcomputer system with a plurality of hardware units, wherein aperformance characteristic of the physical hardware unit resulting fromoperating parameters is to correspond to a predefined performancecharacteristic, a specified program flow is executed using a hardwareunit with variable operating parameters which is simulated as a virtualhardware unit, and the requirement parameters ensuring a well-definedexecution of the program flow using the physical hardware unit aredetermined as a function of a monitored performance characteristic ofthe virtual hardware unit.

According to a further embodiment, at least one selection of thefollowing steps can be executed: -simulation of the physical hardwareunit as a virtual hardware unit for embodying at least one part of avirtual computer system corresponding to the physical computer system;-assignment of at least one operating parameter profile to the virtualhardware unit, said profile comprising at least one operating parameter;-execution of the specified program flow using the virtual hardwareunit; -varying of the operating parameter profile of the virtualhardware unit during the execution of the program flow; -monitoring ofthe performance characteristic of the virtual computer system duringexecution of the program flow; -determining the requirement parametersas a function of the monitored performance characteristic of the virtualcomputer system, wherein the requirement parameters correspond tooperating parameters of the physical hardware unit which ensure awell-defined program flow. According to a further embodiment, theexecution of the program flow, the varying of the operating parameterprofile and/or the monitoring of the performance characteristic of thevirtual computer system can be executed repeatedly in the same sequencefor the purpose of determining the requirement parameters. According toa further embodiment, the execution of the program flow, the varying ofthe operating parameter profile and/or the monitoring of the performancecharacteristic of the virtual computer system can be executed at leastto some extent concurrently for the purpose of determining therequirement parameters. According to a further embodiment, the programflow can be executed repeatedly and the operating parameter profile isvaried such that the monitored performance characteristic of the virtualcomputer system during a program flow is lower than the monitoredperformance characteristic of the virtual computer system during apreviously executed program flow. According to a further embodiment, thesimulation of the physical hardware unit may include virtualization.According to a further embodiment, the simulation of the physicalhardware unit may include emulation. According to a further embodiment,the varying of the operating parameter profile can be performed using aninterface device of the virtual computer system. According to a furtherembodiment, the simulation of the physical hardware unit may encompassextending a hypervisor to include an interface device for varying theoperating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit. According to afurther embodiment, in order to vary the operating parameter profile, atleast one operating parameter can be varied as a function of at leastone additional operating parameter. According to a further embodiment,the varying of an operating parameter profile of a first virtualhardware unit may take place as a function of an operating parameterprofile of a second virtual hardware unit. According to a furtherembodiment, the varying of the operating parameter profile may takeplace such that the virtual hardware unit achieves a specified targetperformance characteristic. According to a further embodiment, thetarget performance characteristic of the virtual hardware unit camn bedetermined as a function of the program flow. According to a furtherembodiment, the varying of the operating parameter profile may takeplace as a function of the monitoring of the performance characteristic.According to a further embodiment, the monitoring of the performancecharacteristic may include acquiring, measuring, estimating, loggingand/or storing performance characteristics. According to a furtherembodiment, the program flow may include a test routine, an algorithm, asoftware program, an instruction sequence and/or a program routine.

According to another embodiment, a computer system for determiningrequirement parameters for at least one physical hardware unit of aphysical computer system may comprise a plurality of hardware units,with a control device for simulating the physical hardware unit as avirtual hardware unit, for assigning at least one operating parameterprofile to the virtual hardware unit, for varying the operatingparameter profile of the virtual hardware unit, for monitoring aperformance characteristic and for determining the requirementparameters, said requirement parameters being those which ensure awell-defined execution of a specified program flow using the physicalhardware unit.

According to a further embodiment of the computer system, the controldevice may comprise: at least one simulation device for simulating thephysical hardware unit, at least one assignment device for assigning theoperating parameter profile to the virtual hardware unit, at least oneexecution device for executing the predefined program flow using thevirtual hardware unit, at least one variation device for varying theoperating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit during theprogram flow, at least one monitoring device for monitoring theperformance characteristic and/or at least one requirement parameterdetermining device for determining the requirement parameters. Accordingto a further embodiment of the computer system, the computer system maybe embodied in such a way that a method as described above is executed.According to a further embodiment of the computer system, the simulationdevice is implemented as a hypervisor in which an interface device isprovided for varying the operating parameter profile of the virtualhardware unit. According to a further embodiment of the computer system,the variation device may vary the operating parameter profile of thevirtual hardware unit during execution of the program flow via theinterface device.

According to a further embodiment of the computer system, the simulationdevice, the assignment device, the execution device, the variationdevice, the monitoring device and the requirement parameter determiningdevice may be implemented at least in part as a computer programproduct.

According to yet another embodiment, a computer program product mayexecute a method as described above on a computer system as describedabove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in greater detail on the basis ofexemplary implementations and with reference to the accompanyingfigures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a variant of a method for determiningrequirement parameters;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a computer system for determiningrequirement parameters;

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a variant of a method for determiningrequirement parameters; and

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a computer system for determiningrequirement parameters.

In the figures, unless stated otherwise, the same or functionallyidentical elements have been labeled with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Accordingly, a method for determining requirement parameters for atleast one physical hardware unit of a physical computer systemcomprising a plurality of hardware units is provided. At least onephysical hardware unit is simulated as a virtual hardware unit withvarying operating parameters, thereby producing different performancecharacteristics. Performance characteristics of the physical hardwareunit shall here correspond to predefined performance characteristics.For this purpose, a specified program flow is executed using a hardwareunit simulated as a virtual hardware unit, with operating parameters ofthe virtual hardware unit being varied. Requirement parameters can bedetermined therefrom which correspond to the operating parameters of thephysical hardware unit which ensure a well-defined program flow. Therequirement parameters are determined as a function of a monitoredperformance characteristic of the virtual hardware unit.

Simulation of the physical hardware unit is understood to mean providingand operating virtual hardware units according to the functionality of aphysical hardware unit.

Requirement parameters are those operating parameters of a hardwarecomponent that constitute a minimum requirement for the well-defined anderror-free execution of a software component.

Operating parameters describe nonfunctional properties of a hardwarecomponent. Possible examples include processor clock rate, read or writeaccess times of a memory, capacity of a storage device, revolutions of ahard disk or the bandwidth of a transmitting or receiving device.Operating parameters can be combined in operating parameter profiles inrespect of a hardware component.

Performance characteristics in this context describe the nonfunctionalbehavior of the hardware unit or computer system resulting from theoperating parameters as a function of the execution of the program flow.Performance characteristics can relate to physical and/or virtualhardware units or computer systems. A program flow can include, forexample, a test routine, an algorithm, a software program, aninstruction sequence and/or a program routine, for calculating an outputor for providing a service.

A well-defined program flow is ensured if, for example, specifiedrequirements, which may be termed “constraints”, are fulfilled.Specified requirements can include nonfunctional requirements which mayin turn affect functional requirements. For example, predefined responsetimes may be required which, if they are not adhered to, may result in atimeout, a synchronization error or general malfunction, the avoidanceof a synchronization error possibly being a functional requirement.Requirements may be defined in particular with respect to a real-timebehavior of the specified program flow. If, for example, an imagesequence is defined by the program flow, a real-time requirement is, forexample, adherence to a minimum number of images per time unit. Anotherrequirement with respect to the minimum number of images is, forexample, a maximally equidistant insertion of the respective image inorder to prevent delays or more specifically judder, e.g. in videoinformation.

A physical computer system is therefore simulated as a virtual computersystem, said virtual computer system in turn possibly consisting of aplurality of virtual hardware units. By means of the variable operatingparameters of the virtual hardware units, diverse hardware units with inturn a diversity of operating parameter profiles can be monitored withrespect to their execution of the predefined program flow. The advantageof this is that, by using the virtual hardware units, no physicalmodifications need to be carried out to the corresponding computersystem. Another advantage is that operating parameters or ratheroperating parameter profiles of the hardware units used can be testedsystematically, e.g. by a specified test program. The test program caninitiate execution of the program flow with varying operating parametersand determination of the requirement parameters.

A physical computer system can be present e.g. as a computer, PC, datacenter, electronic data processing equipment, workstation and/or EDPsystem.

In a variant of the method, at least one selection of the followingsteps is carried out: simulating the physical hardware unit as a virtualhardware unit for embodying at least one part of the virtual computersystem corresponding to the physical computer system; assigning at leastone operating parameter profile to the virtual hardware unit, saidprofile including at least one operating parameter; executing thespecified program flow using the virtual hardware unit; varying theoperating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit duringexecution of the program flow; monitoring the performance characteristicof the virtual computer system during execution of the program flow anddetermining the requirement parameters as a function of the monitoredperformance characteristic of the virtual computer system, saidrequirement parameters corresponding to those operating parameters ofthe physical hardware unit which ensure a well-defined program flow.

The simulation can also include emulation or virtualization. In thiscontext, emulation can encompass the partial provision of functionalityby the virtual hardware unit, wherein functionality not provided can beprovided by a physical hardware unit. Virtualization in this context canencompass the complete provision of functionality by the virtualhardware unit. The simulated hardware unit is present virtually and isdescribed and/or simulated e.g. by a software component and/or by alibrary. The physical hardware unit is physically, i.e. materially,present.

Assigning operating parameter profiles can include, for example,selecting suitable operating parameters and allocating suitable domainsto the operating parameters. In this case operating parameters aresuitably assigned to operating parameter profiles. The assignmentsuitability results from the respective application scenarios. Forexample, it may be suitable, according to a physical hardware unitpresent, to assign as far as possible identical operating parameters tothe virtual hardware unit. Assignment can take place according to aphysical hardware unit to be developed, wherein operating parameters ofthe physical hardware unit to be developed are assigned for testpurposes to an operating parameter profile of a virtual hardware unit.

For example, it is possible for no identical operating parameter profileand/or functionality of a physical hardware unit to exist in respect ofan operating parameter profile and/or a functionality of a virtualhardware unit. The hardware unit would then be purely virtual. There isthen no physical hardware unit corresponding to the virtual hardwareunit.

Virtual hardware units can be present e.g. as emulated hardware units oras virtualized hardware units. The program flow is executed using atleast one virtual hardware unit, it being possible to vary thecorresponding operating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unite.g. according to a specified test program. This produces performancecharacteristics of the virtual computer system during execution of theprogram flow, said performance characteristics being monitored in theprocess. On the basis of the monitored performance characteristics ofthe virtual computer system, requirement parameters of the program flowcan be determined for the physical hardware unit or physical hardwareunits. Requirement parameters in this context are those operatingparameters of the physical hardware unit that ensure a well-definedprogram flow. Requirement parameters can also be determined as afunction of operating parameter profiles of one or more virtual hardwareunits. In particular, dependences of different operating parameters ofthe physical hardware units can be determined systematically on thebasis of the resulting performance characteristics.

During execution of the method, at least one selection of method stepscan be performed iteratively or simultaneously. In addition, operatingparameter profiles can be varied in program flows as a function of otheroperating parameter profiles. For example, an operating parameter whichdescribes the capacity of a main memory can be varied as a function ofan operating parameter which describes the capacity of a hard diskstorage device. An advantageous result in this context would be, forexample, that on the basis of monitored performance characteristics,expensive RAM can be replaced by comparatively less expensive hard diskstorage in order to reduce costs. This would make sense, for example, ifthe slower access times of a hard disk compared to the main memory aresufficient to ensure the well-defined program flow. For example, amonitored performance characteristic can be a RAM access time.

In addition, operating parameter profiles can be varied such thatmonitored performance characteristics can be progressively reduced untila well-defined program flow is no longer ensured. The requirementparameters can therefore be determined from the monitored performancecharacteristics as a function of the respective operating parameterprofile.

The operating parameter profile is varied, for example, via acorresponding interface device of the virtual computer system, or morespecifically of the respective virtual hardware unit. For example, ahypervisor can have a suitable interface device. The varying of theoperating parameter profiles can also take place as a function of themonitoring of the performance characteristic. If the measuredperformance characteristic is not at least in line with a predefinedtarget performance characteristic, operating parameters affecting theperformance characteristic can be varied accordingly.

Monitoring of the performance characteristic can include acquiring,measuring, estimating, logging and/or storing performancecharacteristics. For this purpose, for example, the program flow can beexecuted using a virtual hardware unit and performance characteristicsresulting therefrom can be measured or estimated by e.g. statisticalmethods. Measuring in this case includes any kind of observation,comparison, digital or analog acquisition of performancecharacteristics. Estimating in this case includes any kind ofprojection, interpolation, extrapolation and/or inference or deduction.A requirement for estimation can be, for example, the presence of apredefined quantity of information reflecting empirical values ofperformance characteristics or already monitored performancecharacteristics.

According to a further embodiment, a computer system for determiningrequirement parameters for at least one physical hardware unit of aphysical computer system comprises a plurality of hardware units. Thecomputer system can have a control device which executes a method asdescribed above. In addition, the computer system can have a simulationdevice, an assignment device, an execution device, a variation deviceand/or a requirement parameter determining device. The simulationdevice, the assignment device, the execution device, the variationdevice and/or the requirement parameter determining device can also beincorporated in the control device.

The simulation device can simulate the physical hardware unit as avirtual hardware unit and provide functionality of the physical hardwareunit by means of the virtual hardware unit. The assignment device canassign corresponding operating parameter profiles to virtual hardwareunits.

The execution device can execute the specified program flow using thevirtual hardware unit. The virtual hardware unit can be used, forexample, in a passive or active manner. For example, a hardware unit canactively execute computing steps. Computing steps are e.g. basicarithmetic operations or value assignments to variables. Passive useincludes e.g. logging of the performance characteristics. Acomputational unit can be implemented as a processor, microprocessor,computer, computer system, CPU (=Central Processing Unit), arithmeticlogic unit (ALU) or circuit.

The variation device can vary the operating parameter profile of thevirtual hardware unit during the program flow. The varying includes, forexample, assigning a calculated, estimated, measured or user-enteredvalue to the operating parameter. Said value can be calculated here as afunction of monitored performance characteristics or other operatingparameter profiles. For example, the operating parameters can be variedsuch that the monitored performance characteristics are reduced witheach successive execution of the program flow. How the operatingparameters are to be varied can furthermore be read from a data memoryby the variation device.

The monitoring device can monitor performance characteristics of thevirtual hardware unit which are used for executing the specified programflow. On the basis of the monitored performance characteristics, therequirement parameter determining device can determine the requirementparameters of the program flow for the hardware unit.

The simulation device, the assignment device, the execution device, thevariation device, the monitoring device and the requirement parameterdetermining device can be present in physical form, but can also bevirtually present as simulated hardware units, the functionality of thephysical hardware unit being at least partially simulated. For example,above-mentioned devices can be implemented as part of a computerprogram.

According to yet another embodiment, a computer program product mayinitiate the execution of a method for determining requirementparameters for at least one physical hardware unit.

A method and a device for determining requirement parameters for atleast one physical hardware unit are therefore described which enableextensive, precise and systematic testing of the execution of programflows on different target systems to be carried out. In addition, therequirement parameters for at least one physical hardware unit, orrather interdependencies of operating parameter profiles between aplurality of hardware units, can be determined as a function of amonitored performance characteristic.

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a variant of a method for determiningrequirement parameters. In this case, in a first step 100, a specifiedprogram flow is executed using a physical hardware unit simulated as avirtual hardware unit. In a subsequent step 101, an operating parameterprofile of the virtual hardware unit is varied. In order to determinerequirement parameters for the physical hardware unit empirically, itmay be necessary to execute the steps 100 “Execution of a program flow”and 101 “Varying of the operating parameter profile” iteratively oneafter the other. This is indicated in FIG. 1 by an additional arrowconnecting the steps 101 and 100, arrows being used here to indicate apossible execution sequence of the steps of the method.

Requirement parameters are those operating parameters of a hardwarecomponent that constitute a minimum requirement for executing aspecified program flow. Operating parameters describe nonfunctionalproperties of a hardware unit. Typical examples include: processor clockrate, memory read or write access times, storage capacity, hard diskrevolutions, bandwidth of a transmitting or receiving device. Operatingparameters can be combined in operating parameter profiles in respect ofa hardware component.

For example, a database management system requirement parameter for ahard disk is a required access time for a read operation. If the accesstime exceeds the requirement parameter, a timeout, for example, mayoccur, as a result of which the well-defined program flow of thedatabase management system cannot be ensured. A program flow requirementparameter for a hard disk can be, for example, a minimum capacity of 500GB, since generated data sets cannot otherwise be persistently stored.

The virtual hardware unit has performance characteristics which areproduced as a function of the operating parameter profile and theprogram flow to be executed. In a step 102, program flow requirementparameters for the physical hardware unit are determined on the basis ofa monitored performance characteristic.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a computer system 1 for determiningrequirement parameters of a specified program flow for at least onephysical hardware unit. The computer system 1 has a control device 11which communicates with simulation devices 12, 13 and 14 via aninterface device 11 a. Communication is indicated by double-headedarrows. For example, a block 12 is a simulation device for simulating ahard disk, a block 13 is a simulation device for simulating a removablemedia drive and a block 14 is a simulation device for simulating anetwork card. Simulation devices for simulating other physical hardwareunits are also conceivable in this case. Physical hardware units are inthis case hardware components necessary for operating a computer system,said elements being able to be used in a passive or active manner.

The use of the virtual hardware unit can similarly include passive oractive use. For example, a hardware unit can actively execute computingsteps such as basic arithmetic operations or value assignments tovariables. For example, assignment of the operating parameters to theoperating parameter profile, simulation of the physical hardware units,execution of the program flow and/or determination of the requirementparameters can be initiated by a virtual hardware which is implementedas a computational unit. A computational unit can be implemented as aprocessor, microprocessor, computer, computer system, CPU, centralprocessing unit, arithmetic logic unit and/or circuit. Passive useincludes, for example, logging the performance characteristics and/orstoring the operating parameters, the operating parameter profilesand/or the determined requirement parameters.

Performance characteristics in this context describe the nonfunctionalbehavior of the hardware unit or computer system resulting from theoperating parameters as a function of the execution of the program flow.Performance characteristics may relate to physical and/or virtualhardware units or computer systems. For example, a performancecharacteristic is a processing time of a program flow by a virtualcomputer system resulting from the clock rate of a computational unitand/or the clock rate of a memory.

A program flow can include a test routine, an algorithm, a softwareprogram, an instruction sequence and/or a program routine, forcalculating an output or providing a service. For example, a programflow can be a software component to be tested. For example, testing isto be performed for a database management system to ascertain whichrequirements in terms of response times must be fulfilled by a hard diskused. A response time is in this case a performance characteristic whichcan be affected by the operating parameter “number of revolutions” of ahard disk.

The computer system 1 described in FIG. 2 also comprises an output unit10 which outputs the requirement parameters acquired by the controldevice 11. Said output unit can in this case be a printer, a display ora device for reproducing an audible signal. Alternatively to the outputunit, a device for storing the requirement parameters can be provided.The device for storing the requirement parameters can be present as anykind of storage, for example as a hard disk, flash disk, CD, DVD, tapeand/or removable media.

Simulation of the physical hardware unit is particularly advantageous ifthe physical hardware unit is in operation and operation cannot beinterrupted. If the physical hardware unit is providing a service, forexample, it can be simulated and requirement parameters for the physicalhardware unit can be determined using the simulated virtual hardwareunit. The offered service can therefore be provided without interruptingthe physical hardware unit. In particular, it is possible to carry outthe simulation of hardware units in a software-based manner. For thispurpose, operating parameter profiles can be systematically andreproducibly varied without modifying the physical computer system,thereby making it possible to determine requirement parameters which arethose operating parameters of the physical hardware unit that ensure awell-defined program flow.

To execute the steps described in FIG. 1, the control device 11 cancomprise the following devices: an assignment device lib for assigningthe operating parameter profile to the virtual hardware unit, anexecution device 11 c for executing the predefined program flow usingthe virtual hardware unit, a variation device 11 d for varying theoperating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit during theprogram flow, a monitoring device 11 e for monitoring the performancecharacteristic, and a requirement parameter determining device 11 f fordetermining the requirement parameters.

The assignment device lib is used to assign an operating parameterprofile to a virtual hardware unit provided by one of the simulationdevices 12, 13 or 14. Suitable operating parameter profiles are read outby the assignment device lib e.g. via the control device 11 from a datamemory 9, provided as a function of a performance characteristic orprovided as a function of a user input. A user in this context can beanother device or a human user such as an administrator. Assignment canalso include, for example, assigning a domain to an operating parameter.It can also include assigning operating parameters to operatingparameter profiles. If the method is being executed for the first time,assignment can also include setting the operating parameters to initialvalues. For example, a clock rate of a processor simulated as a virtualprocessor by a simulation device can be initially assigned the value 2GHz. Similarly, a simulated virtual main memory can be initiallyassigned 2 GB.

The execution device 11 c executes a specified program flow using thevirtual hardware unit. The program flow is therefore executed by thevirtual hardware unit or by the virtual hardware unit in conjunctionwith the other virtual hardware units or, in the case of an emulation,using physical hardware units acting in conjunction with the virtualhardware unit. The use can include both active and passive use.

The variation device 11 d varies the operating parameter profile of therespective virtual hardware unit. The varying includes, for example,assigning a calculated, estimated, measured or user-entered value to theoperating parameter. Said value can be calculated here as a function ofmonitored performance characteristics or other operating parameterprofiles. For example, the operating parameters can be varied such thatthe monitored performance characteristics are reduced with eachsuccessive execution of the program flow. How the operating parametersare to be varied can also be read out from a data memory 9 by thevariation device 11 d via the control device 11.

Monitoring of the performance characteristics is carried out by amonitoring device 11 e. The monitoring device 11 e monitors performancecharacteristics of a hardware unit, of a selection of hardware units orof the entire virtual computer system. From the monitored performancecharacteristics, the requirement parameter determining device 11 fdetermines the requirement parameters of the program flow for thephysical hardware unit. The requirement parameters are those operatingparameters which ensure a well-defined program flow. In this contextrequirement parameters may relate to a physical hardware unit, aselection of physical hardware units or a physical computer system.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a variant of a method for determiningrequirement parameters. In a first step 200, a physical hardware unit issimulated as a virtual hardware unit. The simulated virtual hardwareunit is used in the steps 201, 202, 203 and 204, this being representedin FIG. 3 by a higher-order step 200 in the form of a block encompassingthe steps 201, 202, 203 and 204. The step 200 includes the provision ofa virtual hardware unit, which can take place e.g. by emulation orvirtualization. For example, the step can be executed by a hypervisor. Ahypervisor can be VMWare, for example. A hypervisor can incorporate asimulation device such as the simulation device 12 for simulating a harddisk as described in FIG. 2, the simulation device 13 for simulating aremovable media drive and/or the simulation device 14 for simulating anetwork card.

Emulation can include the partial provision of functionality by thevirtual hardware unit, wherein functionality not provided can beprovided by a physical hardware unit. In an emulation, for example, readaccesses to a first data record of a hard disk can be executed by avirtual hardware unit and write accesses to a second data record of thehard disk can be executed by a physical hardware unit. Virtualization inthis case can describe the complete provision of functionality by thevirtual hardware unit.

For example, when a physical hard disk is virtualized, the functionalityof the physical hard disk, such as reading and writing of the datarecords, is executed by a virtual hard disk. A virtual hard disk is herea virtual hardware unit which provides the functionality of a physicalhard disk by emulation or virtualization. Operating parameters of thevirtual hardware unit such as storage capacity can in this case beprovided using a physical hard disk. Similarly, a physical hard disk canalso provide storage capacity for a plurality of virtual hard disks.Even in the case of a complete simulation of the functionality of thephysical hard disk, such as write or read operations, a virtual harddisk therefore requires physical storage in order to be able to providethe operating parameter “storage capacity” corresponding to theavailable physical storage capacity.

In a virtual computer system, the number of virtual hardware unitsincorporated can be different from the number of physical hardware unitsof the simulated physical computer system. For example, in a virtualcomputer system a plurality of virtual hardware units can be presentwhich are operated by a single physical hardware unit. Simulation of aphysical hardware unit does not necessarily constitute a bijectionbetween physical hardware units and virtual hardware units, but can alsobe an n:m mapping, where n and m are each natural numbers denoting thenumber of respective hardware units.

Simulating a physical hardware unit therefore includes providing andoperating a virtual hardware unit in accordance with the functionalityof the respective physical hardware unit.

In step 201, the virtual hardware unit is assigned an operatingparameter profile. To this end, suitable operating parameters areselected from a set of operating parameters and assigned to operatingparameter profiles which are in turn assigned to the virtual hardwareunit. The assignment process also includes assigning domains to theoperating parameters. If the method is being executed for the firsttime, assignment also includes assigning initial values to the operatingparameters. In a step 202, a specified program flow is executed usingthe virtual hardware unit. In addition to the virtual hardware unit,other virtual or physical hardware units can also be involved in theexecution. A program flow can here include a test routine, an algorithm,a software program, an instruction sequence and/or a program routine.For example, a program flow can be an Office program, a databasemanagement system, a video player, a control program or server service.In addition, program flows can be executed at the server end or clientend and/or in a distributed manner.

For example, an Office program sets requirement parameters for theoperating parameter “storage capacity” of a physical hard disk, sincethe program is installed locally on the hard disk. A well-definedprogram flow can be, for example, that the documents generated can bepersistently stored at all times. For persistent storage, an Officeprogram likewise sets requirement parameters for a physical hard disk.In respect of synchronizing documents with a remote document filesystem, the Office program requires a network connection which isprovided, for example, via a physical network card. A requirementparameter to be met by the physical network card can then be a specifiedbandwidth, for example.

To determine requirement parameters for a physical main memory, thelatter can be implemented as a virtual main memory in a step 200. Theprogram flow of the Office program is then executed using the virtualmain memory to which an operating parameter profile was assigned in astep 201.

The Office program is executed in a step 202, with a correspondingoperating parameter profile specifying the storage capacity of thevirtual main memory being varied in a step 203. For example, thecapacity is successively reduced in a plurality of executions of theprogram flow by a test program which can modify the values assigned tothe operating parameters via a suitable interface. The program flow isdeemed to be no longer well-defined if, for example, considerable timedelays result from exporting data to hard disk storage because of thereduced storage capacity of the virtual main memory. The delay is aperformance characteristic of the virtual hardware unit used. If thedelay exceeds a specified target performance characteristic, thewell-defined program flow is no longer guaranteed.

The requirement parameters now describe those operating parameters ofthe main memory which fulfill the target performance characteristic whenthe Office program is executed using the virtual main memory. The use ofthe method according to various embodiments in the example described isadvantageous because the Office program's requirement parameters for thephysical main memory can be determined systematically and withoutmodifying a physical computer system.

In step 203, operating parameter profiles are varied. In this case saidvarying comprises the assignment of changed values to the operatingparameters. This can take place as a function of another operatingparameter profile of a virtual hardware unit. In addition, operatingparameters can be varied such that performance characteristics measuredin one program flow are reduced in a subsequent program flow. Forexample, the clocking speed of a processor can be reduced in successiveprogram flows so that the respective execution of the program flow takeslonger than the previous execution of the program flow. Testing can thusbe performed to ascertain at which clocking speed of the processor atimeout occurs. How the corresponding operating parameters are to bevaried can be read out of a data memory, calculated, estimated ordetermined by user input.

In step 204, the performance characteristics resulting from theoperating parameter profile and the program flow are monitored. Aperformance characteristic is e.g. an execution time required to executea program flow using the virtual hardware unit. On the basis of themonitored performance characteristics, requirement parameters for thephysical hardware unit are determined in step 205.

To determine requirement parameters for the physical hardware unit, thesteps 200, 201, 202, 203, 204 and 205 can be executed in parallel,partly in parallel or iteratively in the same sequence. For example,step 203 in which the operating parameter profiles are varied can becarried out in parallel with step 202. Consequently, the operatingparameters are varied during execution of the program flow using thevirtual hardware unit.

Step 204 “Monitoring of the performance characteristic” can be carriedout, for example, in parallel with step 202 “Execution of the programflow” and step 203 “Varying of the operating parameter profiles” inorder thus to monitor the resulting performance characteristics. Forexample, a monitoring device 11 e described in FIG. 2 can logperformance characteristics such as execution times of program flowswhile a clocking speed of a simulated virtual processor is progressivelyreduced during execution of the program flow. For example, step 201 canalso be carried out in parallel with the execution of the program flowin step 202. Possible execution sequences of the steps are indicatedaccordingly by arrows in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a computer system 3 fordetermining requirement parameters. For this purpose a specified programflow 300 is tested by means of a test program 302 in an instance of atest 301 in respect of requirement parameters of the specified programflow for at least one physical hardware unit. Alternatively, the testprogram 302 can also be referred to as a “test driver”. Both the programflow 300 and the test program 302 access a virtual computer system 304via a guest operating system 303.

The virtual computer system comprises the virtual hardware units 305 a,305 b, 305 c, 305 d and 305 e. The virtual hardware units are providedby simulation devices 306 a, 306 b, 306 c, 306 d and 306 e,respectively, which can be incorporated in a simulation system 306. Thesimulation devices 306 a, 306 b, 306 c, 306 d and 306 e each simulate aphysical hardware unit as a virtual hardware unit. The simulationdevices 306 a, 306 b, 306 c, 306 d and 306 e can have a performancelimiter device which varies the operating parameter profile of therespective virtual hardware unit so as to produce a reducing performancecharacteristic each time the program flow is executed. A performancelimiter device can correspond, for example, to a variation devicedescribed in FIG. 2. Performance limiter devices can have a performancelimiting control device via which the interface device 310 iscontrolled. Physical hardware units can be present, for example, as anetwork card, as a removable media drive, as a hard disk, as a memorychip, as a processor or as a microprocessor.

The operating parameter profiles of the virtual hardware units can beassigned or rather varied by the test program 302 via an interfacedevice 310. The test program 302 initiates the execution of the programflow 300 for each test 301 and monitors the performance characteristicsresulting from the program flow 300 and the operating parameter profileof the virtual hardware unit. Performance characteristics are logged bythe test program 302, and requirement parameters of the program flow 300for the physical hardware unit are determined by the test program 302 asa function of the logged performance characteristics. This can becarried out, for example, as already described, by gradually reducingthe performance characteristics and monitoring the execution of theprogram flow.

The simulation system 306 with its associated simulation devices 306 a,306 b, 306 c, 306 d and 306 e accesses the physical computer system 308via the host operating system 307, this being indicated in FIG. 4 bybidirectional arrows. The guest operating system 303 and host operatingsystem 307 can be present e.g. as a version of Windows or as a versionof Linux. The physical computer system 308 comprises the physicalhardware units 309 a, 309 b, 309 c, 309 d and 309 e.

In an alternative embodiment variant, the simulation devices 306 a, 306b, 306 c, 306 d and 306 e simulate physical hardware devices whichdiffer from the physical hardware units 309 a, 309 b, 309 c, 309 d and309 e in respect of the operating parameter profiles and the domains ofthe operating parameters and therefore simulate a physical computersystem which does not correspond to the physical computer system 308.

A possible scenario for using the computer system 3 described in FIG. 4is the testing of virtual hardware units (305 a, 305 b, 305 c, 305 d,305 e) of a virtual computer system 304 during execution of programflows 300, using a conventional hard disk and/or using a main memory. Anadvantageous result would be, for example, that on the basis of themonitored performance characteristics, expensive RAM can be replaced bycomparatively less expensive hard disk storage in order to reduce costs.This makes sense, for example, if the slower access times of the harddisk compared to the main memory are sufficient to ensure thewell-defined program flow 300. Swap data, for example, can therefore bestored to a large extent on the, compared to RAM, less expensive harddisk storage devices. Since the data is thus stored on the hard disk andnot in main memory, savings on RAM can thereby be achieved.

Another example is the simulation of the use of flash disks. Unlike aconventional hard disk, with flash disks the performance characteristicswrite speed and read speed are asymmetrical. For example, writing to theflash disk takes longer than reading from the flash disk. The physicalhardware unit hard disk and the physical hardware unit flash disk can besimulated using the computer system 3 described above. The program flowcan now be executed a first time using a virtual hard disk and a secondtime using a virtual flash disk. By varying the operating parameterprofiles of the virtual hardware unit hard disk and of the virtualhardware unit flash disk, their performance characteristics can now bemonitored systematically during execution of the program flow. By meansof the test, the replacement of a conventional hard disk by a flash diskcan be simulated, for example. If reduced performance characteristics ofphysical hardware units of an existing physical computer system ensure awell-defined program flow, corresponding physical hardware units can bereplaced by physical hardware units with reduced performancecharacteristics, thereby enabling a cost reduction to be achieved.

The advantage of this is that requirement parameters can be determinedsystematically, with the aid of an operating system (303), without usingexpensive physical hardware components (309 a, 309 b, 309 c, 309 d, 309e) and without modifications to a physical computer system (308).

1. A method for determining requirement parameters for at least onephysical hardware unit of a physical computer system with a plurality ofhardware units, wherein a performance characteristic of the physicalhardware unit resulting from operating parameters is to correspond to apredefined performance characteristic, the method comprising: executinga specified program flow using a hardware unit with variable operatingparameters which is simulated as a virtual hardware unit, anddetermining the requirement parameters ensuring a well-defined executionof the program flow using the physical hardware unit as a function of amonitored performance characteristic of the virtual hardware unit. 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one selection of thefollowing steps is executed: simulation of the physical hardware unit asa virtual hardware unit embodying at least one part of a virtualcomputer system corresponding to the physical computer system;assignment of at least one operating parameter profile to the virtualhardware unit, said profile comprising at least one operating parameter;execution of the specified program flow using the virtual hardware unit;varying of the operating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unitduring the execution of the program flow; monitoring of the performancecharacteristic of the virtual computer system during execution of theprogram flow; determining the requirement parameters as a function ofthe monitored performance characteristic of the virtual computer system,wherein the requirement parameters correspond to operating parameters ofthe physical hardware unit which ensure a well-defined program flow. 3.The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the executionof the program flow, the varying of the operating parameter profile, andthe monitoring of the performance characteristic of the virtual computersystem are executed repeatedly in the same sequence for the purpose ofdetermining the requirement parameters.
 4. The method according to claim2, wherein at least one of the execution of the program flow, thevarying of the operating parameter profile, and the monitoring of theperformance characteristic of the virtual computer system are executedat least to some extent concurrently for the purpose of determining therequirement parameters.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein theprogram flow is executed repeatedly and the operating parameter profileis varied such that the monitored performance characteristic of thevirtual computer system during a program flow is lower than themonitored performance characteristic of the virtual computer systemduring a previously executed program flow.
 6. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the simulation of the physical hardware unit includesvirtualization.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein thesimulation of the physical hardware unit includes emulation.
 8. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the varying of the operatingparameter profile is performed using an interface device of the virtualcomputer system.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein thesimulation of the physical hardware unit encompasses extending ahypervisor to include an interface device for varying the operatingparameter profile of the virtual hardware unit.
 10. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein in order to vary the operating parameter profile, atleast one operating parameter is varied as a function of at least oneadditional operating parameter.
 11. The method according to claim 1,wherein the varying of an operating parameter profile of a first virtualhardware unit takes place as a function of an operating parameterprofile of a second virtual hardware unit.
 12. The method according toclaim. 1, wherein the varying of the operating parameter profile takesplace such that the virtual hardware unit achieves a specified targetperformance characteristic.
 13. The method according to claim 12,wherein the target performance characteristic of the virtual hardwareunit is determined as a function of the program flow.
 14. The methodaccording to claim 2, wherein the varying of the operating parameterprofile takes place as a function of the monitoring of the performancecharacteristic.
 15. The method according to claim 2, wherein themonitoring of the performance characteristic includes at least one ofacquiring, measuring, estimating, logging and storing performancecharacteristics.
 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein theprogram flow includes at least one of a test routine, an algorithm, asoftware program, an instruction sequence and a program routine.
 17. Acomputer system for determining requirement parameters for at least onephysical hardware unit of a physical computer system comprising aplurality of hardware units, with a control device for simulating thephysical hardware unit as a virtual hardware unit, for assigning atleast one operating parameter profile to the virtual hardware unit, forvarying the operating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit,for monitoring a performance characteristic and for determining therequirement parameters, said requirement parameters being those whichensure a well-defined execution of a specified program flow using thephysical hardware unit.
 18. The computer system as according to claim17, wherein the control device comprises: at least one simulation devicefor simulating the physical hardware unit, at least one assignmentdevice for assigning the operating parameter profile to the virtualhardware unit, at least one execution device for executing thepredefined program flow using the virtual hardware unit, at least onevariation device for varying the operating parameter profile of thevirtual hardware unit during the program flow, at least one monitoringdevice for monitoring the performance characteristic and/or at least onerequirement parameter determining device for determining the requirementparameters.
 19. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein thecomputer system is operable: to execute a specified program flow using ahardware unit with variable operating parameters which is simulated as avirtual hardware unit, and to determine the requirement parametersensuring a well-defined execution of the program flow using the physicalhardware unit as a function of a monitored performance characteristic ofthe virtual hardware unit.
 20. The computer system according to claim18, wherein the simulation device is implemented as a hypervisor inwhich an interface device is provided for varying the operatingparameter profile of the virtual hardware unit.
 21. The computer systemaccording to claim 18, wherein the variation device varies the operatingparameter profile of the virtual hardware unit during execution of theprogram flow via the interface device.
 22. The computer system accordingto claim 17, wherein the simulation device, the assignment device, theexecution device, the variation device, the monitoring device and therequirement parameter determining device are implemented at least inpart as a computer program product.
 23. A computer program productcomprising a computer readable medium storing instructions which whenexecuted by a computer system for determining requirement parameters forat least one physical hardware unit of a physical computer systemperform the steps of: executing a specified program flow using ahardware unit with variable operating parameters which is simulated as avirtual hardware unit, and determining the requirement parametersensuring a well-defined execution of the program flow using the physicalhardware unit as a function of a monitored performance characteristic ofthe virtual hardware unit, wherein the computer system comprises aplurality of hardware units, with a control device for simulating thephysical hardware unit as a virtual hardware unit, for assigning atleast one operating parameter profile to the virtual hardware unit, forvarying the operating parameter profile of the virtual hardware unit,for monitoring a performance characteristic and for determining therequirement parameters, said requirement parameters being those whichensure a well-defined execution of a specified program flow using thephysical hardware unit.